Our Team
Jo Bourke
Roller Dance Coach
I am a self confessed rink rat with a love for skating in all of its forms and I love sharing this passion with others.
I have been skating for over 40 years, having first started skating in Tamworth in the 80s at our local rink, Skatehaven. I spent every moment that I could at the skating rink and it was here that I had my first ever paid job - my dream job. I was14, it was the 80s when skating was HUGE and I got paid to do what I love - roller skate. Firstly I took up speed skating where I was coached by Geoff Elms and quickly got roped into playing roller hockey as well as teaching learn to skate classes.
My skating took a back seat when I left Tamworth to attend university. I still loved skating but most rinks had closed, so my skates sat idle for close to 20 years, until a chance meeting with a Wagga friend who also loved skating 'back in the day'. She suggested that we go to the upcoming roller derby come and try day. With each other for moral support we did the derby try out and I LOVED being back on skates. It was like I had never stopped skating! I played derby for several years and loved it dearly, but unfortunately an injury forced me to retire from contact sport so again my skates were hung up, only coming out for the occasional skate outdoors.
Fast forward 18 months and I saw through Facebook that Bec was launching Twin City Skate Club. I eagerly signed up for the initial
meet and greet day where I met and instantly bonded with Bec and her family. I confessed to Bec (and as anyone who has evertaken one of my classes knows) that I don't spin (much - it makes me sick) and I don't jump (too fragile/old!) so I started doing Skate Fiit. When Covid hit in Wagga and threw a spanner into the works I started watching YouTube videos of dance jam skating and quickly became obsessed, using lockdown to learn moves and techniques. Lockdown has ended, but my obsession with dance jam skating continues. I love that dance jam offers something for everyone, with no rules, you do what feels right for you. There are no boundaries and the sky's the limit.
Outside of skating I am a registered nurse working in theatres. I am married to my super supportive husband Tim, and have two wonderful children, Abbey and Coby (all of them tragically are non-skaters!). When I'm not working or skating I can usually be found traipsing after my children to their sporting events.
Jen Graham Photography
Sophie Graham
Jen is our ‘resident photographer’ at Twin City Skate. All the amazing photos you see are most likely shot by her!
She is Mum to Sophie, Tom and Will, all of whom skate. And it’s worth mentioning she’s pretty good on her own wheels as well!
She is an avid and awarded photographer skilled in landscape, wildlife, macro, sporting, wedding and candid photography.
Jen is a dedicated Skate Mum, and we are so grateful for her presence at, and contribution to the Club.
“I’m just a mum with a decent camera who loves taking photos of her kids. And if I manage to get a good photo of others, I like them to be able to see that.
Nobody wants to pose in front of a camera, because it feels like school photos, but when you see someone get lost in what they are doing, whether it is sport or at a party, you can really capture their personality in a photo. That’s why I love taking photos.
Also it’s a bit of therapy for me. When I get behind the lens, it’s like I have a shield, and you need to sit still, regulate your breathing, wait quietly for a moment and then shoot.”
Trainee Skate Stars Coach
Events Assistant
The first time I put on a pair of skates was when I was about seven or eight years old, and I wasn't particularly talented at it! But I spent many of my childhood holidays skating around in my backyard, nothing too fancy, until I stopped until the age of about 12 years old, when I went to my first disco with my cousin and aunt, after she saw an advertisement about the club.
When witnessed Bec spinning and doing artistic elements throughout the disco we instantly fell in love with the sport. My cousin and I tried to go backwards and spin at the first disco because we thought we could do it, but we quickly realised it wasn't as easy as that, and I made the decision to take lessons.
I took lessons for six months with my aunt before I began participating in the sport on my own. I ended up spending the majority of my free time there after that, where I made friends and practised the sport. Holidays were spent at the discos, and every free moment I had I was at the stadium expanding my abilities and attempting to do better job.
Skating became even more enjoyable because of the people I met through the sport. Club events and learning programs were also more straightforward and fun than I had expected, and the kindness and encouragement from those involved in the club was amazing. About a year into my skating career, I met Gawaine from SkateNSW during a coaching accreditation course, and ever since then, I have been totally in love with the sport.
From there I started assisting with Learn to Skate classes, and helping the children improve their skills as they go on with their skating experiences much the same as I went through mine. My own progression into artistic lessons was where I truly found happiness in the sport. The feeling after landing a jump for the first time or the excitement after perfecting a spin was so awesome and what motivated me to keep moving forward with the sport. When I first came to the club we were still in masks and it's crazy to see how far the club has gone through the hard work of Bec, Kurt and the other coaches.
I have tried various sports throughout my childhood, but none of them seemed to "click" as much as roller skating has. The people, coaches and experiences at the club are what make it my happy place.
Gary Orr
Videography
I grew up near Bondi and spent free time swimming, surfing, skateboarding, playing football, spearfishing, climbing cliffs, going to movies, and being too adventurous. I began to skate using my neighbours steel wheeled strap-on skates which we converted to a skateboard by attaching the wheels and plates to a fence paling. Not recommended!
After attending high school in Sydney, I moved to Yanco and Wagga and graduated with a Diploma of Applied Science in Agriculture from Wagga Agricultural College. During those years I enjoyed other activities including classical, jazz and disco dancing, rink skating, music, fashion, and photography. My interest in art, video, dance and skating was inspired by family and friends. In 2010 I won a digital camera in a photo competition run by the ABC called 80 Days That Changed Our Lives. Digital photography and video production have offered a whole new way to enjoy the pastime and fuse art, dance and motion.
I worked for the Australian government and CSIRO as a Quarantine Officer in Sydney, Gunnedah and Canberra. I developed a strong interest in the environment, native plants, and animals so I left quarantine work to start a wildlife rescue service, ecosystem restoration and seed collecting business. We bought a farm near Adelong producing alpacas for fibre and genetics and collected tree and shrub seed for large revegetation projects.
On a holiday to the USA in 1982 I bought my first good leather roller skates. I returned to Sydney to skate the streets and car parks with the Walkman turned up full blast and grooving to the beat. Those skates were just about worn out. Skateboarding and bicycling couldn’t replace roller skating. I took my skates to a bootmaker for repair, but the tongue modification weakened the boots. They’re the same skates I broke my ankle on in Baylis Street half an hour before covid lockdown.
After a year off skates, I bought some new skates to regain confidence and again experience the enjoyment of skating. When covid lockdown finally ended, my curiosity got the better of me and I walked into Twin City Skate to see what the club was all about. I’ve been a member of the club ever since and enjoy artistic skating, the energy and skill, the happy active people, and the culture.
Gary’s videos are displayed on a you-tube channel Tiger Greentongue
Izumi Kinjo-Hooper
Graphic Designer
Izu speaks with Bec ❤️🛼
Bec: Can you tell us where you were born and something about your childhood?
Izu: I was born in Okinawa, Japan, and I'm the youngest in my family. Okinawa is a small tropical island located in the southern part of Japan, so I grew up eating plenty of fish and fruits. From primary school to high school, I was always part of the volleyball team and actively played the sport.
Bec: What inspired you to become a graphic designer?
Izu: In 2000, when I was 18 years old, not many people around me, like family and friends could understand what a "graphic designer" was, and neither could I! So, I decided to visit a graphic design school in Tokyo. I took a week of lessons and that's when I fell in love with the industry.
Bec: What other fields you have worked in?
Izu: I was teaching Japanese at a middle years and high school in 2022. I also used to make sushi rolls at the Henty Bakery a few years ago. It was such a great experience to share our culture and love seeing people enjoy it.
Bec: What do you love about your current work?
Izu: I always love this job because I work with so many clients who are chasing their dreams or challenging something new, and they have a positive attitude. It brings me great pleasure to be able to support them.
Bec: What is your favourite thing to do in graphic design?
Izu: To share joy and excitement with clients.
Bec: What is good about designing for Twin City Skate?
Izu: I am extremely grateful to have the opportunity to work with you guys!
Watching your ongoing hard work and passion always inspires me greatly!
Bec: Do you roller skate? If so, how did that start?
Izu: There was a Japanese idol group called "Hikaru Genji" in the 80s. They were famous for always wearing roller skates on stage, so it seemed like everyone had roller skates on the road or park everywhere during that time. When I was little, my parents used to take me to places where we could go roller skating for little kids. It's been a while since I last roller skated, but I would love to do it again!
